Border construction for box springs



ug 10 1955 J. F. CIAMPA ETAL 3,199,122

BORDER CONSTRUCTION FOR BOX SPRINGS Filed June 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. l0, 1965 J. F. CIAMPA ETAL 3,199,122

BORDER CONSTRUCTION FOR BOX SPRINGS Filed June 1'7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,199,122 BDRDER CNSTRUC'HN FR BOX SPRINGS ioseph F. Ciampa, Medford, and Angelo Serafini, East Boston, Mass., assignors to Standard Box Spring Co., East Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed .lune 17, 1964, Ser. No. 375,874 9 Claims. (Cl. -261) This invention relates to the construction .of box springs and pertains more particularly to devices for reinforcing the border of a box spring.

In high grade box springs, used rfor beddingor other articles of furniture, it is customary to provide reinforcing pieces, referred to as stabilizers, at the border of the spring to make the border stiler and prevent sagging. A typical box spring has arectangular wooden frame at the bottom of the border, a series vof border coils mounted at spaced intervals on the frame, and a rectangular border wire parallel to and disposed above the .outer edge ofthe frame. The top turns of the border coils are secured to the border wire by metal clips. A common type of stabilizer consists of a piece of spring wire bent to octagonal form and disposed in the outer plane of the border and stapled to the outside of the frame at the bottom and secured at the top in one of the clips. The staples or the clip holding the stabilizer sometimes work loose when vthe spring is in use, freeing the stabilizer s that it no longer functions properly. When weight is put on the border, comprising the border coils, .the loose stabilizer is likely to tear through the covering or the upholstery.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a stabilizer which is positively and permanently secured to the other border parts. Another object is to provide a stabilizer which can be readily assembled .onto a spring with a minimum of labor and without tools. Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the device will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

FIG. l is a plan view, partly broken away, of a box spring having a border equipped with stabilizers according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side View :of .the box spring border taken in the region of one of the stabilizers;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a stabilizer prior to assembly onto the spring;

FIG. 4 is a perspective fragmentary view showing a stabilizer in the process 4of assembly into the border of the spring.

The box spring has a rectangular wooden bottom frame, generally indicated by the numeral 10, to which are at- .tached a number of slats 11. A row of border coils 12 is mounted on the bottom frame at spaced intervals all around and rows of intermediate coils 13 are mounted on the slats. The bottom .turns of the coils are locked into the intersections of sets of the wires 14 and 15 running cross-wise and lengthwise of the spring. Sets of top wires 16 and 17 are disposed Vcross-wise and lengthwise in pairs across the tops of each row of coils. Adjacent top wires 16 of each two adjacent coils are tied together by links 13 passing under the top turns of the coils and bent around the wires 16. Adjacent wires 17 are similarly tied together between coils by links 19.

Around the top edge of the border is a border wire or rod 20 usually of heavier gage than the coils and top wires. The border coils 12 are secured to the border wire by clips 21 and the ends of lthe top wires and bent back around the border wire.

A number of stabilizers generally indicated by the numeral 22 are disposed around the border of the spring. As shown in FIG. 3, the stabiliezr is made from a single run of spring wire bent to generally octagonal shape with depending end portions 22a, vbottom portions 2lb which 3,1%,122 Patented Aug. 10, 1965 ice overlap each other, outwardly inclined side portions 22C, loops 22d, inwardly inclined side portions 22e, top crimps 221 and a central bridge portion 22g.

The stabilizer is assembled onto the border of the spring before ythe ends of top wires 16 and 1'7 have been bent back around the border wire 20. FIG. 4 illustrates the initial stage of assembly. The stabilizer is laid horizontally with crimp portions 221i overlying the ends of a pair of top Wires 16. The stabilizer is then slid back until portions 22f have passed between wires 16 and the border wire, and turned to vertical position so that crimp portions 22f stand up behind the border wire 20 and bridge portion 22g lies underneath the outermost portion of the top turn 12a of one of the border coils. End portions 22a are drawn together and inserted in a hole 24 in the wooden bottom frame 10. The spring tension introduced, because .of the overlap of bottom portions 22b, holds the bottom of the stabilizer firmly in position. The top .is also locked against movement outward by the engagement of crimp portions 22jc behind the border wire,

and against inward movement by the engagement of to the border wire and are thus pushed upward, in turn pushing portions 22]c upward so that they cannot drop down and slide out under the border wire.

The interlocking of portions 221, and 22g with the top turn of the border coil, the border wire, and the top wires hold the stabilizer in place. It is customary, however, to bend the ends of the top wires back around the border wire to complete the box spring. The stabilizer can be conveniently secured further by bending the ends of the pair of top wires 16 (or 17 as the case may be) at that location around portions 22f as well as the border Wire. Alternatively, the stabilizer can be applied after the top wires have been bent back, by locking portions 221 onto the bent back ends of the top wires and pulling these portions around and under the border wire.

The number of stabilizers 22 which are used depends on the size of the box spring and the degree of reinforcement desired. A single pair, one on each side may be adequate for some spring constructions. For heavier duty, two stabilizers Von each side and two on each end of the spring may be used.

The interlock between the stabilizer and the other parts of the border is entirely independent of clips or similar parts which can open up. Once the stabilizer is assembled onto the border, it cannot be dislodged by any of the loads or movements imposed on a spring in normal use. This is particularly important in the lcase :of a covered or upholstered spring which would require considerable labor to repair.

The stabilizer will yield under weight applied `at the border, but supplements the action of the border coils in restoring the edge .of the spring to its proper straight contour when the load is removed.

The stabilizer can be manufactured readily and economically, and can be assembled onto the spring Without tools and with a minimum of labor. The stabilizer thus improves the quality and durability of a box spring without adding materially to the cost.

What is claimed is: l

1. A box spring having a border construction comprising: a rigid bottom frame; a border wire disposed above and parallel to said frame; a row of border coils mounted on said frame, and having top turns adjacent said top wire; and a resilient stabilizer mounted on said frame, said stabilizer having a pair of crimp portions projecting upward behind said border wire and a connecting portion engaged under the top turn of one of said coils.

2. A box spring as described in claim 1, having a pair of top wires perpendicular to said border wire and extending over the coil with which said stabilizer is engaged, said crimp portions each passing over one. of said top wires.

3. A box spring as described in claim 2, said top wires having end portions bent back around said border wire and said crimp portions.

4. A box spring having a border construction comprising: a rigid bottom frame; a border wire disposed above and parallel to said border frame; a row of border coils mounted on said frame, each of said coils having a top turn disposed adjacent said border wire; and a resilient stabilizer including a top portion interlockingly engaged between said border wire and .fthe top turn of one of said coil, and depending bottom legs, said bottom frame having an opening in which said legs are received.

5. A box spring as described in claim 4, said stabilizer being formed of a single run of spring wire bent to generally .octagonal shape with a pair of bottom portions free `of one another, each of said bottom portions carrying one .of said legs, and said bottom portions overlapping each other when the stabilizer is in relaxed condition, said opening being circular and said legs being drawn together therein, thereby ,springing the stabilizer.

6. In a box spring having a rigid bottom border frame, a row of border coils mounted .on said frame and each having a top turn and a top wire disposed parallel to said frame and adjacent said top turns: a stabilizer comprisl ing a single run of spring wire bent to generally octagonal shape and disposed between said frame and said top wire, said stabilizer having crimp portions extending upward behind said top wire and a bridging porti-on connecting said crimp portions and engaged under one of said top turns.

7. A stabilizer as described in claim 6, including the following: a pair of bottom portions, a pair of legs, one depending from each of said bottom portions, said frame having an opening in which said legs are received, a pair of upwardly diverging side portions one extending from each of said bottom portions, a pair of upwardly converging side portions one connected to each of said crimp portions, and a pair of intermediate loops each connecting one of said diverging portions to one of said converging 8. A stabilizer for a box spring border comprising: a single rim of spring wire bent to form a top bridge portion, a pair of upwardly extending crimp portions connected by said bridge portion, a pair of bottom portions, a pair of sides, each one connecting one of said crimp portions to one .of said bottom portions, said bottom portions freely overlapping one another and each carrying a depending leg.

9. A stabilizer as described in claim 8, each of said sides having a loop intermediately disposed therein.

No references cited.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BOX SPRING HAVING A BORDER CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: A RIGID BOTTOM FRAME; A BORDER WIRE DISPOSED ABOVE AND PARALLEL TO SAID FRAME; A ROW OF BORDER COILS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, AND HAVING TOP TURNS ADJACENT SAID TOP WIRE; AND A RESILIENT STABILIZER MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, SAID STABILIZER HAVING A PAIR OF CRIMP PORTIONS PROJECTING UPWARD BEHIND SAID BORDER WIRE AND A CONNECTING PORTION ENGAGED UNDER THE TOP TURN OF ONE OF SAID COILS. 